Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-08-27

the young tops, when neither very soft nor
perfectly hard, having three to four sets of
leaves, and 10 put them in little frame
with sand, where they are to be given
few waterings during the course of amonth.
lie states that in three or four months the
little cuttings will have rooted, and in
few months more will be found ready to
set out. He adds that olive trees planted
IN the Santa Cruz mountains were propa-
gated Ill this manner, that they received
no irrigation after setting out, and that
they have formed a beautiful root system.
Frank A. Kimbal, of National City,
San Diego county, tells US also that he has
in no case succeeded with large cuttings,
and that he has obtained but meager re-
suits in planting twenty inches deep. He
tried with all kinds of cuttings, from three
feet down to eight and ten inches only,
and he finds the latter preferable.
The mode thus recommended BY Mr..
Klee, by Mr.. Kimball and others. is in
perfect harmony with what | have done,
and which has enabled me to obtain an
excellent root system in less than year
Having had frequent occasions to compare
it with others, do not hesitate to pro
nounce 1t as the one method capable of
producing most vigorous trees. which,
within four or five years, will be from ten
to twelve feet high, and will begin to pro-
duce few gallons of olives.
have knowledge Of the fact that several
persons have planted olive cuttings in
nursery, and have met with but very
meager results. | think can give them
possibly the reason for it.
The olive, as already said, is an ever
green tree. 1t has two very distinct yearly
negotiations, one called the spring vegeta-
ton, the other the fall vegetation. 1t is
thus that under our fine and quite excep-
tional climate, where the winters are fire.
quently very mild, its vegetation knows
scarcely any cessation. If the cuttings
are not taken from the tree during one OF
those short periods of repose-which vary
according to seasons-and are not placed
in the nursery within reasonable time,
say from one to two weeks, there is danger
of the vitality in most of them dying out,
and the loss will easily reach so, 40 OF
even 30 per cent, and possibly still more
In this respect, the cuttings of the olive
tree differ from those of the vine, which
can be cut Immediately after the fall of the
leaves, when vegetation comes to stand
still, and which can be kept buried in the
ground until March or April, without
interfering with their starting when spring
comes.
For the reasons here suggested it can be
understood why those who have attempted
to reproduce the olive tree from cutting,
which were not recently cut from the tree
and who have performed that operation al
a season of the year when the sap was toe
active, have realized such poor results.
| know of some parties whose loss has
| reaced so and 80 per cent, and two of then
| who did not succeed with single cutting
| can see no other cause for it than the one
| have Just mentioned. Let us now pass in
review other modes of propagation.
Cuttings can be made from the sucker,
that grow from the base Of the tree. but il
they are taken below the grating point OF
| trees raised from the seed they will have to
| be grated
The olive tree is also reproduced from the
woody excrescences that form generally on
the trunk of old trees. This mode Of
propagation, which carries with it the mutt
! lation of the trunk of Il tree, is possible only
| i'll the countries where old trees are to be
found, while from young trees, of which
there will soon be plenty in California
| cuttings can be easily procured through the
| ordinary process of pruning, which thu.
proves beneficial to them instead of being
| a source of mutilation. This alone should
be sufficient reason for the general adop.
tion i'll this country Of so rational a mode
| of propagation.
HOW TO PRESERVE OLIVES
Writing upon this subject F. Pohndorf
| In a recent article saws:
There are several systems of picking
olives. For this purpose the fruit is gath
cred green; this is particularly the case
with the bic-sized, fine olives imported
from Seville, Malaga and from French and
| Italian ports. Other varieties of small
size and nice tasting are gathered nearly
ripe for picking. To pickle or sweeter
them the olives are put in fresh water fol
five or six days, changing the water each
day four or five times When thus they
have lost the bitter taste, they are put in q
basin full of brine, keeping them immersed
| fully in the same. Frequently some fennel
Is put ON top. After sixty days the olive
will be fit for use, and keep until next
year. If the olives are to be used quickly
they may be opened, and the stone taken
out previous to being put in water, and
after having been kept in frequently
changed water for four or five days, to be
left in I've for six or eight DAYS, when they
may be eaten either alone or with oil and
vinegar, like a salad.
Another way to pickle is putting the
olives in I've, not long enough to penetrate
the whole of the pulp, and when appear
ing to be free of the bitter taste, leaving
them four or FIVE days in water, to be
changed two or three times daily They
may be kept, put into salt water Fennel
mace, corriander seed, rosewood, cloves
and cinnamon may be added for favoring,
Olives for drying should be fully ripe
left in the sun for fifteen or twenty DAYS
and little salt be put on them; or they
may be placed in a basket with a stratum
Of salt, where after Il day the vegetable
water sweats out, and five or six days later
they may be eaten, being a fine nourishine
condiment, or rather substitute for meat
The dried olives are kept in families for
use all the year round, and by soaking in
water, after they are swollen to their orig
inal size, become very palatable.